Padres Jolt M.L.B. With Bold Moves to Set Up World Series Run

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports While many teams continued to assess the financial consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, San Diego acquired two pricey pitchers and instantly became one of the favorites to win the World Series.https://nyti.ms/34YmREl

Becky Hammon Becomes First Woman to Serve as Head Coach in N.B.A. Game

By BY VICTOR MATHER from NYT Sports She took over coaching the San Antonio Spurs after Gregg Popovich was ejected from a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.https://nyti.ms/3pDiiHt

Becky Hammon Becomes First Woman to Serve as Head Coach in N.B.A. Game

By BY VICTOR MATHER from NYT Sports She took over coaching the San Antonio Spurs after Gregg Popovich was ejected from a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.https://nyti.ms/3o78XHy

Randall Cunningham Is Back in the N.F.L. … as Raiders Chaplain

By BY KALYN KAHLER from NYT Sports “I want to preach myself into a Super Bowl ring.”https://nyti.ms/3n0ICJZ

An Olympic Dream Is Reborn, Despite Fears of Brain Trauma

By BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN from NYT Sports A.J. Edelman walked away from the hazards of sledding sports after he competed for Israel in the skeleton at the 2018 Winter Games. Now he is trying again in a bobsled.https://nyti.ms/2WZJDr6

Virus Disrupts College Football Playoffs Even Before Kickoff

By BY BILLY WITZ from NYT Sports Both semifinals are being played in abnormal circumstances: The Rose Bowl will be in Texas, and the Sugar Bowl will feature teams hit hard by the coronavirus.https://nyti.ms/3hvIy3E

N.F.L. Week 17 Predictions: Our Picks Against the Spread

By BY BENJAMIN HOFFMAN from NYT Sports Ten teams will be fighting for seven playoff spots on a final regular-season Sunday when numerous playoff seedings can change.https://nyti.ms/3aZf0u6

Julius Randle Is Causing Something Rare: Excitement for the Knicks

By BY VICTOR MATHER from NYT Sports After seven consecutive losing seasons, Randle’s strong play is fueling a good start — and hope among fans.https://nyti.ms/2WZ4o6e

From Kobe to LeBron: Tragedy and Triumph in the N.B.A.

By BY MARC STEIN from NYT Sports A year that began with the deaths of two N.B.A. icons could not end soon enough, marked by heartache along the way but also small moments worth celebrating now.https://nyti.ms/34UPcLX

The 2020 Moments When Sports Made Sense

By BY THE NEW YORK TIMES from NYT Sports Sports were not a simple salve for the events of 2020, but they still provided some moments of joy, levity and shared humanity.https://nyti.ms/3pDWZWb

Quarterback Keeper? Jets, Browns and Bears Face Contract Decisions

By BY MIKE TANIER from NYT Sports Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and Mitchell Trubisky have all been marginally impressive at times. But is that enough for their teams to sign them to salary-cap-straining contracts?https://nyti.ms/37YDWjG

Numbers, Knowledge and Better Set Pieces: a View Into Soccer’s Future

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports F.C. Midtjylland’s search for competitive advantage has made it a place where ideas emerge. The problem is pretty soon everyone else has them, too.https://nyti.ms/34TlFlV

Chicago Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews Is Out Indefinitely Because of Illness

By BY ANDREW KNOLL from NYT Sports Toews, 32, the team captain, did not say what his condition was but said that it had left him “drained and lethargic.”https://nyti.ms/38K1709

Another Top U.S. Tennis Tournament Is Postponed Because of the Coronavirus

By BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN from NYT Sports The BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., hopes to move to later in the year.https://nyti.ms/3psc510

Deep Within Relief Bill, Horse Racing Gets New Tools to Clean Up

By BY JOE DRAPE from NYT Sports A provision deep in the coronavirus stimulus package puts the United States Anti-Doping Agency in charge of regulating thoroughbred racing.https://nyti.ms/3812kBj

K.C. Jones Never Got His Due in Boston. Race Played a Part.

By BY HARVEY ARATON from NYT Sports Jones, who was Black and won eight championships as a player and two as a coach with the Boston Celtics, was underappreciated as one of the N.B.A.’s most successful coaches.https://nyti.ms/2JqKcaf

Jon Huber, Who Rose to Fame With World Wrestling Entertainment, Dies at 41

By BY MARIE FAZIO from NYT Arts Mr. Huber, who was known in the ring as Brodie Lee and Luke Harper, died from a “lung issue” unrelated to Covid-19, his wife said.https://nyti.ms/3hqXsIw

Knee Problems Prompt Roger Federer to Skip the Australian Open

By BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN from NYT Sports The 20-time Grand Slam champion had two knee surgeries in 2020. He wants to come back, but it remains unclear when he will play.https://nyti.ms/3hniTKs

Nets’ Spencer Dinwiddie Out Indefinitely With Torn A.C.L.

By BY MARC STEIN from NYT Sports Dinwiddie, who started at guard alongside Kyrie Irving, hobbled off the court Sunday in the third quarter with what was initially called knee strain.https://nyti.ms/38Kuqjh

Jon Huber, Who Rose to Fame With World Wrestling Entertainment, Dies at 41

By BY MARIE FAZIO from NYT Obituaries Mr. Huber, who was known in the ring as Brodie Lee and Luke Harper, died from a “lung issue” unrelated to Covid-19, his wife said.https://nyti.ms/3pyjwUD

What We Learned From Week 16 of the N.F.L. Season

By BY BENJAMIN HOFFMAN from NYT Sports The Steelers came back to beat the Colts, Kansas City survived against Atlanta and Jacksonville secured the No. 1 pick in the draft.https://nyti.ms/3nX0WF7

Saying Goodbye to the Knuckleball, and Its Master

By BY TYLER KEPNER from NYT Sports Phil Niekro is the seventh member of the Baseball Hall of Fame to die this year. The pitch he perfected also appears to be lost.https://nyti.ms/2KZLTMi

A State Skirmish Over N.C.A.A. Amateurism Rules Has Quickly Become a National Battle

By BY BILLY WITZ from NYT Sports Since California passed a law allowing college athletes to profit from their fame, the issue has broadened and moved to Capitol Hill.https://nyti.ms/2KXSneD

Our Altered View

By Unknown Author from NYT Sports The coronavirus changed sports. But it also changed us. Will our connection as fans always be divided into a before, and an after?https://nyti.ms/3nXQE7J

Seahawks Defense Is an Asset Again in Division-Clinching Win

By BY BEN SHPIGEL from NYT Sports Seattle’s much-maligned defense held Los Angeles to field goals as the two N.F.C. West teams streak in opposite directions to end the regular season.https://nyti.ms/3o6I46V

What We Learned From Week 16 of the N.F.L. Season

By BY BENJAMIN HOFFMAN from NYT Sports The Steelers came back to beat the Colts, Kansas City survived against Atlanta and Jacksonville secured the No. 1 pick in the draft.https://nyti.ms/3nOH1Iq

Ravens Snatch Back Giants’ Playoff Hopes

By BY BILL PENNINGTON from NYT Sports Baltimore made its case for the wild-card spot as the Giants fell back to earth — and toward the bottom of the N.F.C. East — in a rout.https://nyti.ms/3mTBGOX

Jets Start a Winning Streak and Diminish Browns’ Playoff Hopes

By BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT Sports The Jets’ second win of the season removed the possibility of them getting the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft, while Cleveland is at risk of extending the league’s longest postseason drought.https://nyti.ms/34Lku7Q

Jon Huber, Who Rose to Fame With World Wrestling Entertainment, Dies at 41

By BY MARIE FAZIO from NYT Sports Mr. Huber, who was known in the ring as Brodie Lee and Luke Harper, died from a “lung issue” unrelated to Covid-19, his wife said.https://nyti.ms/3mTAyL8

With Each Run, a City Shaken by Racism Is ‘Finding the Greater Good’

By BY ANNA KATHERINE CLEMMONS from NYT Sports The route William Jones III designed 15 years ago through predominantly Black neighborhoods in Charlottesville, Va., has become the impetus for a diverse running group that’s grown since the summer.https://nyti.ms/3hjepon

Opting Out of the N.F.L. Brings No Regret for This Jets Lineman

By BY BEN SHPIGEL from NYT Sports Leo Koloamatangi says he misses his team, even in a dreadful season, and that he has wondered what he might have accomplished this year. But he finds comfort in knowing his family is at a lower risk.https://nyti.ms/37PhVna

Alvin Kamara Runs for Six Touchdowns Against Vikings

By BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT Sports The Saints running back tied an N.F.L. record set in 1929 in New Orleans’ 52-33 win over the Minnesota Vikings.https://nyti.ms/3mW5VEY

The Warriors’ Championship Glow Is Gone. And Yet …

By BY SCOTT CACCIOLA from NYT Sports Yes, the Golden State Warriors have looked awful in two blowout losses to start the season. But there are a few reasons for optimism. One big one: James Wiseman.https://nyti.ms/3nL7ruC

Duke Women’s Basketball Ends Season Early Because of Virus Concerns

By BY GILLIAN R. BRASSIL from NYT Sports The team is the first Power Five basketball team to start and stop its season because of the pandemic. The men’s basketball team is expected to continue playing.https://nyti.ms/3hkPLUs

K.C. Jones, Celtics Standout as Player and Coach, Dies at 88

By BY RICHARD GOLDSTEIN from NYT Sports As a defense-minded guard, he played on eight consecutive championship teams. He later found success leading the team from the sidelines.https://nyti.ms/3rszhy3

At French Resorts, Skiing Has Become an Uphill Sport

By BY PETE KIEHART from NYT Sports The government closed ski lifts, fearing they might spread the coronavirus. The skiers came anyway.https://nyti.ms/34JTGor

An N.B.A. Christmas Gift: LeBron, Steph and Luka in Action

By BY SOPAN DEB, SCOTT CACCIOLA AND MARC STEIN from NYT Sports With LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic playing, there’s something for everyone. If you haven’t kept up since last season, here’s everything you need to know.https://nyti.ms/3plt8lo

The Olympics Were Postponed. The U.S. Marathon Champion Got Pregnant.

By BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN from NYT Sports When the competitive running calendar for 2020 largely disappeared, Aliphine Tuliamuk decided to make lemonade — actually, a baby — out of lemons.https://nyti.ms/3hhpVjX

The 2020 Baseball Trivia Extravaganza

By BY TYLER KEPNER from NYT Sports This test is not for the faint of heart, or the casual fan. See how your knowledge of the sport holds up in our fourth annual holiday baseball quiz.https://nyti.ms/2WKjf4o

Petr Cech Is in His Comfort Zone: In the Middle of Everything

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports For the recently retired goalkeeper, a role as Chelsea’s technical director is appealing because of how different it is from playing.https://nyti.ms/34EbCRi

N.F.L. Week 16 Predictions: Our Picks Against the Spread

By BY BENJAMIN HOFFMAN from NYT Sports The Colts are favored on the road in Pittsburgh, the Rams will try to stay alive in Seattle and a frozen matchup between Tennessee and Green Bay should still have plenty of offense.https://nyti.ms/3mLoVpm

N.B.A. Postpones Rockets Game, an Early Test of Its Virus Rules

By BY MARC STEIN from NYT Sports Multiple positive or inconclusive coronavirus tests, and a health protocol breach, left the Houston Rockets with too few players to compete in their season opener.https://nyti.ms/38u5iNz

Chinese Swimmer’s Doping Ban Is Lifted After Accusation of Racism

By BY TARIQ PANJA from NYT Sports Sun Yang, a former Olympic champion, had challenged the neutrality of one of the Court of Arbitration for Sport officials who issued his eight-year suspension.https://nyti.ms/34FomYe

Amar’e Stoudemire Is a Coach Now. But Don’t Call Him That.

By BY MARC STEIN from NYT Sports Stoudemire has reunited with his Phoenix Suns cohort of Steve Nash and Mike D’Antoni on the Nets’ staff. It’s weird to him, too.https://nyti.ms/2KVEE7Z

Nets and Clippers Open N.B.A. Season With Big Wins

By BY SCOTT CACCIOLA AND SOPAN DEB from NYT Sports The Nets dominated the Warriors, and the Clippers staved off a comeback attempt by the Lakers. Kevin Durant and Paul George were the night’s stars.https://nyti.ms/2LXmoeZ

European Soccer Learns a New Virtue: Patience

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports Why have so few managers been fired this year? Pandemic economics play a role, but there are bigger forces at work, too.https://nyti.ms/2KNfR6i

In 30 Years, Little Progress for U.S. Sports Leagues on Leadership Diversity

By BY GILLIAN R. BRASSIL AND ELEANOR LUTZ from NYT Sports There are rules, initiatives and eager proclamations throughout North American sports leagues when it comes to hiring more nonwhite leaders. Then there are actual hiring numbers.https://nyti.ms/2WD4SyX

8 Fearless N.B.A. Season Predictions

By BY MARC STEIN from NYT Sports Houston’s James Harden is widely expected to be traded soon. But Kevin Love? Zach LaVine? LaMarcus Aldridge? They could be on the move, too.https://nyti.ms/3nEPU7k

Kevin Greene, Master of Sacking the Quarterback, Dies at 58

By BY RICHARD SANDOMIR from NYT Sports A charismatic player with seemingly inexhaustible energy, he recorded the third-most sacks in N.F.L. history and the most by a linebacker.https://nyti.ms/37Iqgt2

N.B.A. Live Updates: Warriors vs. Nets

By BY SCOTT CACCIOLA AND SOPAN DEB from NYT Sports It’s opening night, which means the official debut of the Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving pairing, and a ring ceremony for LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.https://nyti.ms/3rl4qDu